Systems and methods to use a digital camera to remotely deposit a negotiable instrument

ABSTRACT

To deposit a negotiable instrument electronically, a digital image may be used. Systems and methods are described herein that facilitate the use of a digital camera to provide the digital image. A user may capture an image of a negotiable instrument to create a digital image. The digital image may be compressed and saved as a digital image file. The user may then transmit the digital image file to a financial institution, such as a bank, to deposit funds drawn from the account of the negotiable instrument into the user&#39;s account. A financial institution may receive digital image files created by a digital camera from account holders and process a deposit request using the digital image file.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE AND PERMISSION

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document may contain materialthat is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has noobjection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent documentor the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and TrademarkOffice patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrightrights whatsoever. The following notice shall apply to this document:Copyright © 2007 USAA.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related by subject matter to the subject matterdisclosed in the following commonly assigned applications, the entiretyof which are hereby incorporated by reference herein: U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/931,670, and U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/931,945, each filed on Oct. 31, 2007 and each entitled “Systems andMethods to Use a Digital Camera to Remotely Deposit a NegotiableInstrument.”

BACKGROUND

Upon the passage of the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act (Check21), the use of digital images for check presentment has increaseddramatically, as the process typically reduces the time necessary for acheck to clear and the cost associated with moving paper checks fromlocation to location. In lieu of using a physical check to clear thecheck clearinghouse, a scanned image is used in the process. A person,such as a bank teller, scans the physical check upon presentment by acustomer at a bank. The scan creates a digital image of the check. Thedigital image, along with other electronic information such as amountand account holder, is submitted electronically to the federal checkclearinghouse system. The system processes the digital image of thecheck rather than processing the physical check itself.

Banks and other institutions that may process checks have realizedsignificant benefits by using electronic presentment of checks. Alongwith the reduction of the need to transport paper from the bank ofpresentment to the federal clearinghouse, a reduction in the processingtime has also been realized. At issue when presenting checkselectronically is the type of equipment available for use by thedepositor and the communication capabilities of the depositor at thetime of deposit. For example, a user that wishes to deposit a check byscanning the check and creating a digital image of the check may nothave a scanner available for use. Even if a scanner is available foruse, the user may not be able to configure their computer system tocommunicate information to a bank to deposit the check. Thus, the usermay not be able to deposit a check, or other type of negotiableinstrument, into their account.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended tobe used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subjectmatter.

In consideration of the above-identified shortcomings of the art, thepresent subject matter addresses the shortcomings of the prior art andprovides for additional benefits through the use of a digital camera tocapture a digital image of the negotiable instrument, such as a check,for processing a deposit transaction. The digital camera may be used inlieu of a scanner for capturing an image of the negotiable instrument.The image may be modified to compensate for sub-optimal images. In oneexemplary and non-limiting embodiment, a method for depositing funds ofa negotiable instrument comprises taking a digital picture of thenegotiable instrument, wherein a digital camera is used to take thedigital picture. The digital camera then creates a digital image filecontaining the digital picture. The digital image file is thentransmitted along with a request to deposit funds of the negotiableinstrument.

In another exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, a method of depositingfunds of a negotiable instrument comprises receiving a request todeposit funds of the negotiable instrument and receiving a digital imagefile of the negotiable instrument. The digital image file comprises adigital image of the negotiable instrument created using a digitalcamera. The funds from the negotiable instrument are then deposited.Another exemplary and non-limiting embodiment for extracting negotiableinstrument information to deposit funds of the negotiable instrumentcomprises taking a picture of the negotiable instrument using a digitalcamera to create a digital image and then determining if the digitalimage is acceptable for use. Information is extracted from the digitalimage. A communication pathway is opened with a financial institutionand the extracted information is transmitted along with the digitalimage and a request to deposit funds of the negotiable instrument.

Other features of the subject matter are described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description ofthe subject matter is better understood when read in conjunction withthe appended drawings. For the purposes of illustration, there is shownin the drawings exemplary embodiments; however, these embodiments arenot limited to the specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed. Inthe drawings:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram representing an exemplary and non-limitingcomputing device suitable for use in conjunction with the presentsubject matter;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary and non-limiting networked computingenvironment in which many computerized processes may be implemented toprovide the present subject matter;

FIG. 3 a is an exemplary and non-limiting diagram illustrating an imageof a negotiable instrument;

FIG. 3 b is an exemplary and non-limiting diagram illustrating anotherimage of a negotiable instrument;

FIG. 3 c is an exemplary and non-limiting diagram illustrating adistorted image of a check;

FIG. 3 d is an exemplary and non-limiting diagram illustrating an imagein which the distortion of the image has been at least partiallyremoved;

FIG. 3 e is an exemplary and non-limiting diagram illustrating thedetermination of a corner of a distorted image to warp the image;

FIG. 4 a is an exemplary and non-limiting diagram illustrating a systemfor using a digital camera for capturing an image of a negotiableinstrument;

FIG. 4 b is an exemplary and non-limiting diagram illustrating a systemfor using a cellular phone with an integrated digital camera forcapturing an image of a negotiable instrument;

FIG. 5 is an exemplary and non-limiting flow diagram illustrating thecapture and submission of a digital image to a bank for depositprocessing;

FIG. 6 is an exemplary and non-limiting flow diagram illustrating thereceipt of a digital image for deposit processing;

FIG. 6 a is an exemplary and non-limiting flow diagram illustrating aprocess for deskewing a digital image of a negotiable instrument;

FIG. 7 is an exemplary and non-limiting diagram illustrating the use ofa cellular phone to transmit digital image information to a bank;

FIG. 8 is an exemplary and non-limiting apparatus for assisting a userto capture a digital image of a negotiable instrument;

FIG. 8 a is an exemplary and non-limiting electronic alignment aid forassisting a user to capture a digital image of a negotiable instrument;

FIG. 9 is an exemplary and non-limiting system for using remotetransmission of a digital image using a cellular phone; and

FIG. 10 is an exemplary and non-limiting screenshot of a text messagefor use in transmitting a digital image of a negotiable instrument.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Certain specific details are set forth in the following description andfigures to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments ofthe subject matter. Certain well-known details often associated withcomputing and software technology are not set forth in the followingdisclosure to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the various embodiments ofthe subject matter. Further, those of ordinary skill in the relevant artwill understand that they can practice other embodiments of the subjectmatter without one or more of the details described below. Finally,while various methods are described with reference to steps andsequences in the following disclosure, the description as such is forproviding a clear implementation of embodiments of the subject matter,and the steps and sequences of steps should not be taken as required topractice this subject matter.

Referring to FIG. 1, shown is a block diagram representing an exemplarycomputing environment suitable for use in conjunction with implementingthe processes described below. For example, the computer executableinstructions that carry out the processes and methods for providing thesubject matter of the present disclosure may reside and/or be executedin such a computing environment as shown in FIG. 1. The computing systemenvironment 220 is only one example of a suitable computing environmentand is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use orfunctionality of the subject matter. Neither should the computing systemenvironment 220 be interpreted as having any dependency or requirementrelating to any one or combination of components illustrated in theexemplary computing system environment 220. For example a computer gameconsole may also include items such as those described below for use inconjunction with implementing the processes described above.

Aspects of the subject matter are operational with numerous othergeneral purpose or special purpose computing system environments orconfigurations. Examples of well known computing systems, environments,and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with the subjectmatter include, but are not limited to, personal computers, servercomputers, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems,microprocessor-based systems, set-top boxes, programmable consumerelectronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers,distributed computing environments that include any of the above systemsor devices, and the like.

Aspects of the subject matter may be implemented in the general contextof computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, beingexecuted by a computer. Generally, program modules include routines,programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that performparticular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Aspects ofthe subject matter may also be practiced in distributed computingenvironments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices thatare linked through a communications network. In a distributed computingenvironment, program modules may be located in both local and remotecomputer storage media, including memory storage devices.

An exemplary system for implementing aspects of the subject matterincludes a general purpose computing device in the form of a computer241. Components of computer 241 may include, but are not limited to, aprocessing unit 259, a graphical processing unit 229 (GPU), a videomemory 230, a graphics interface 231, a system memory 222, and a systembus 221 that couples various system components including the systemmemory 222 to the processing unit 259. The system bus 221 may be any ofseveral types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memorycontroller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus, using any of a variety ofbus architectures. By way of example and not limitation, sucharchitectures include Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, MicroChannel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, VideoElectronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and PeripheralComponent Interconnect (PCI) bus (also known as Mezzanine bus).

Computer 241 typically includes a variety of computer-readable media.Computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessedby computer 241 and includes both volatile and non-volatile media,removable and non-removable media. By way of example and not limitation,computer-readable media may comprise computer-storage media andcommunication media. Computer-storage media includes both volatile andnon-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in anymethod or technology for storage of information such as computerreadable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data.Computer-storage media includes, but is not limited to, random accessmemory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), Electrically Erasable ProgrammableRead-Only Memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology,CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage,magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or othermagnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to storethe desired information and that can be accessed by computer 241.Communication media typically embodies computer readable instructions,data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated datasignal, such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, andincludes any information delivery media. The term “modulated datasignal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics setor changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. Byway of example and not limitation, communication media includes wiredmedia such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wirelessmedia such as acoustic, radio frequency (RF), infrared and otherwireless media. Combinations of any of the above should also be includedwithin the scope of computer-readable media.

The system memory 222 includes computer-storage media in the form ofvolatile and/or non-volatile memory such as ROM 223 and RAM 260. A BIOS(basic input/output system) 224 containing the basic routines that helpto transfer information between elements within computer 241, such asduring start-up, is typically stored in ROM 223. RAM 260 typicallycontains data and/or program modules that are immediately accessible toand/or presently being operated on by processing unit 259. By way ofexample and not limitation, FIG. 1 illustrates operating system 225,application programs 226, other program modules 227, and program data228.

The computer 241 may also include other removable/non-removable,volatile/non-volatile computer storage media. By way of example only,FIG. 1 illustrates a hard disk drive 238 that reads from or writes tonon-removable, non-volatile magnetic media, a magnetic disk drive 239that reads from or writes to a removable, non-volatile magnetic disk254, and an optical disk drive 240 that reads from or writes to aremovable, non-volatile optical disk 253 such as a CD ROM or otheroptical media. Other removable/non-removable, volatile/non-volatilecomputer-storage media that can be used in the exemplary operatingenvironment include, but are not limited to, magnetic tape cassettes,flash memory cards, DVDs, digital video tape, solid state RAM, solidstate ROM, and the like. The hard disk drive 238 is typically connectedto the system bus 221 through a non-removable memory interface such asnon-removable non-volatile memory interface 234, and magnetic disk drive239 and optical disk drive 240 are typically connected to the system bus221 by a removable memory interface, such as removable non-volatilememory interface 235.

The drives and their associated computer-storage media, discussed aboveand illustrated in FIG. 1, provide storage of computer-readableinstructions, data structures, program modules and other data for thecomputer 241. In FIG. 1, for example, hard disk drive 238 is illustratedas storing operating system 258, application programs 257, other programmodules 256, and program data 255. Note that these components can eitherbe the same as or different from operating system 225, applicationprograms 226, other program modules 227, and program data 228. Operatingsystem 258, application programs 257, other program modules 256, andprogram data 255 are given different numbers here to illustrate that, ata minimum, they are different copies. A user may enter commands andinformation into the computer 241 through input devices such as akeyboard 251 and pointing device 252, commonly referred to as a mouse,trackball, or touch pad. Other input devices (not shown) may include amicrophone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, or the like.These and other input devices are often connected to the processingunit(s) 259 through a user input interface 236 that is coupled to thesystem bus 221, but may be connected by other interface and busstructures, such as a parallel port, game port or a universal serial bus(USB). A monitor 242 or other type of display device is also connectedto the system bus 221 via an interface, such as a video interface 232.In addition to the monitor 242, computer 241 may also include otherperipheral output devices such as speakers 244 and printer 243, whichmay be connected through an output peripheral interface 233.

The computer 241 may operate in a networked environment using logicalconnections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer246. The remote computer 246 may be a personal computer, a server, arouter, a network PC, a peer device or other common network node, andtypically includes many or all of the elements described above relativeto the computer 241, although only a memory storage device 247 has beenillustrated in FIG. 1. The logical connections depicted in FIG. 1include a local area network (LAN) 245 and a wide area network (WAN)249, but may also include other networks. Such networking environmentsare commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranetsand the Internet.

When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer 241 is connectedto the LAN 245 through a network interface 237. When used in a WANnetworking environment, the computer 241 typically includes a modem 250or other means for establishing communications over the WAN 249, such asthe Internet. The modem 250, which may be internal or external, may beconnected to the system bus 221 via the user input interface 236 orother appropriate mechanism. In a networked environment, program modulesdepicted relative to the computer 241, or portions thereof, may bestored in the remote memory storage device. By way of example and notlimitation, FIG. 1 illustrates remote application programs 248 asresiding on memory storage device 247. It will be appreciated that thenetwork connections shown are exemplary and that other means ofestablishing a communications link between the computers may be used.

It should be understood that the various techniques described herein maybe implemented in connection with hardware or software or, whereappropriate, with a combination of both. Thus, the methods and apparatusof the subject matter, or certain aspects or portions thereof, may takethe form of program code (i.e., instructions) embodied in tangiblemedia, such as floppy diskettes, CD-ROMs, hard drives, or any othermachine-readable storage medium wherein, when the program code is loadedinto and executed by a machine, such as a computer, the machine becomesan apparatus for practicing the subject matter. In the case of programcode execution on programmable computers, the computing device generallyincludes a processor, a storage medium readable by the processor(including volatile and non-volatile memory and/or storage elements), atleast one input device, and at least one output device. One or moreprograms may implement or utilize the processes described in connectionwith the subject matter, e.g., through the use of an API, reusablecontrols, or the like. Such programs are preferably implemented in ahigh-level procedural or object-oriented programming language tocommunicate with a computer system. However, the program(s) can beimplemented in assembly or machine language, if desired. In any case,the language may be a compiled or interpreted language, and may becombined with hardware implementations.

Although exemplary embodiments may refer to utilizing aspects of thesubject matter in the context of one or more stand-alone computersystems, the subject matter is not so limited, but rather may beimplemented in connection with any computing environment, such as anetwork or distributed computing environment. Still further, aspects ofthe subject matter may be implemented in or across a plurality ofprocessing chips or devices, and storage may similarly be affectedacross a plurality of devices. Such devices might include personalcomputers, network servers, handheld devices, supercomputers, orcomputers integrated into other systems such as automobiles andairplanes.

In light of the diverse computing environments that may be builtaccording to the general framework provided in FIG. 1, the systems andmethods provided herein cannot be construed as limited in any way to aparticular computing architecture. Instead, the subject matter shouldnot be limited to any single embodiment, but rather should be construedin breadth and scope in accordance with the appended claims.

Referring next to FIG. 2, shown is an exemplary networked computingenvironment in which many computerized processes may be implemented toperform the processes described above. For example, parallel computingmay be part of such a networked environment with various clients on thenetwork of FIG. 2 using and/or implementing the processes for providingthe subject matter of the present disclosure. One of ordinary skill inthe art can appreciate that networks can connect any computer or otherclient or server device, or that computers may be connected in adistributed computing environment. In this regard, any computer systemor environment having any number of processing, memory, or storageunits, and any number of applications and processes occurringsimultaneously, is considered suitable for use in connection with thesystems and methods provided.

Distributed computing provides sharing of computer resources andservices by exchange between computing devices and systems. Theseresources and services include the exchange of information, cachestorage, and disk storage for files. Distributed computing takesadvantage of network connectivity, allowing clients to leverage theircollective power to benefit the entire enterprise. In this regard, avariety of devices may have applications, objects, or resources that mayuse the processes described herein.

FIG. 2 provides a schematic diagram of an exemplary networked ordistributed computing environment. The environment comprises computingdevices 271, 272, 276, and 277 as well as objects 273, 274, and 275, anddatabase 278. Each of these computing devices 271, 272, 273, 274, 275,276, 277 and 278 may comprise or make use of programs, methods, datastores, programmable logic, etc. The computing devices 271, 272, 273,274, 275, 276, 277 and 278 may span portions of the same or differentdevices such as personal data assistants (PDAs), audio/video devices,MP3 players, personal computers, etc. Each computing device 271, 272,273, 274, 275, 276, 277 and 278 can communicate with another computingdevice 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277 and 278 by way of thecommunications network/bus 270. In this regard, any entity may beresponsible for the maintenance and updating of a database 278 or otherstorage element.

The communications network 270 may itself comprise other computingentities that provide services to the system of FIG. 2, and may itselfrepresent multiple interconnected networks. In accordance with an aspectof the subject matter, each computing device 271, 272, 273, 274, 275,276, 277 and 278 may contain discrete functional program modules thatmight make use of an API, or other object, software, firmware and/orhardware, to request services of one or more of the other computingdevices 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277 and 278.

It can also be appreciated that an object, such as 275, may be hosted onanother computing device 276. Thus, although the physical environmentdepicted may show the connected devices as computers, such illustrationis merely exemplary and the physical environment may alternatively bedepicted or described comprising various digital devices such as PDAs,televisions, MP3 players, etc., or software objects such as interfaces,communication (COM) objects, and the like.

There are a variety of systems, components, and network configurationsthat support distributed computing environments. For example, computingsystems may be connected by wired or wireless systems, by local networksor widely distributed networks. Currently, many networks are coupled tothe Internet, which provides an infrastructure for widely distributedcomputing and encompasses many different networks. Any suchinfrastructures, whether coupled to the Internet or not, may be used inconjunction with the systems and methods provided.

A network infrastructure may enable a host of network topologies such asclient/server, peer-to-peer, or hybrid architectures. The “client” is amember of a class or group that uses the services of another class orgroup to which it is not related. In computing, a client is a process,i.e., roughly a set of instructions or tasks, that requests a serviceprovided by another program. The client process utilizes the requestedservice without having to “know” any working details about the otherprogram or the service itself. In a client/server architecture,particularly a networked system, a client is usually a computer thataccesses shared network resources provided by another computer, e.g., aserver. In the example of FIG. 2, any entity 271, 272, 273, 274, 275,276, 277 and 278 can be considered a client, a server, or both,depending on the circumstances.

A server is typically, though not necessarily, a remote computer systemaccessible over a remote or local network, such as the Internet. Theclient process may be active in a first computer system, and the serverprocess may be active in a second computer system, the computer systemscommunicating with one another over a communications medium, thusproviding distributed functionality and allowing multiple clients totake advantage of the information-gathering capabilities of the server.Any software objects may be distributed across multiple computingdevices or objects.

Client(s) and server(s) communicate with one another utilizing thefunctionality provided by protocol layer(s). For example, HyperTextTransfer Protocol (HTTP) is a common protocol that is used inconjunction with the World Wide Web (WWW), or “the Web.” Typically, acomputer network address such as an Internet Protocol (IP) address orother reference such as a Universal Resource Locator (URL) can be usedto identify the server or client computers to each other. The networkaddress can be referred to as a URL address. Communication can beprovided over a communications medium, e.g., client(s) and server(s) maybe coupled to one another via TCP/IP connection(s) for high-capacitycommunication.

In light of the diverse computing environments that may be builtaccording to the general framework provided in FIG. 2 and the furtherdiversification that can occur in computing in a network environmentsuch as that of FIG. 2, the systems and methods provided herein cannotbe construed as limited in any way to a particular computingarchitecture or operating system. Instead, the subject matter should notbe limited to any single embodiment, but rather should be construed inbreadth and scope in accordance with the appended claims.

The Check 21 Act allows the use of a digital image of a negotiableinstrument for processing a negotiable instrument deposit transaction inlieu of using the physical negotiable instrument. The ownership and useof digital cameras for image capture have increased over the pastseveral years. When a picture is taken using a digital camera, the rawdigital image information is typically compressed and stored in jointphotographics expert group (“JPG” or “JPEG”) digital image file formats,which are functionally the same but with different file extensions,depending upon the software. Digital cameras using other softwareplatforms may compress and save the image using other formats, such asgraphic interchange form a (“GIF”), JPEG, Windows bitmap (“BMP”), etc.

A digital camera may also take pictures in a video format, such as theMotion Picture Exports Group (“MPEG”) format. If a digital video istaken, a digital image may be extracted from one of the frames of thedigital video and used as a substitution for a single picture. Theextraction of an image is not limited to digital video, as picturestaken from plastic video may be used as well.

To extract character information from the digital image, the digitalimage file may be processed through an optical character recognition(OCR) application. There are generally two OCR methods of extractinginformation from a digital image file: matrix matching and featureextraction. Matrix matching analyzes the digital image and extractspossible characters. The extracted characters are then compared againsta library of characters to determine if there is a match. If a match isdetermined, a corresponding ASCII character is assigned to the extractedcharacter. Feature extraction, or intelligent character recognition(ICR), uses a process that looks for features such as open areas,diagonal lines, intersections of lines, closed shapes, etc. Theapplication then uses that information and intelligence about theprocess to extract information. Feature extraction is a more robustanalysis but typically requires more processing power than does matrixmatching.

For example, FIG. 3 a illustrates a digital image of negotiableinstrument 300 taken by a digital camera. Negotiable instrument 300 hasbox 308 which has character “+”310 within the box. The digital imagerotation, or skew, is shown to be zero (0), as illustrated by thematching of the borders of negotiable instrument 300 with y-axis 322 andx-axis 320. Because the skew of the digital image in FIG. 3 a isnegligible, the less robust matrix matching technique may be a techniquethat may require less computing resources, though the feature extractionmay also be used interchangeably.

If the image is skewed, feature extraction may be used to properlyextract and recognize characters in the image. FIG. 3 b is a digitalimage of negotiable instrument 300 of FIG. 3 a having box 308 withcharacter “+”310 within the box. The digital image has a degree of skew,illustrated by the angle of rotation of negotiable instrument 300 inrelation to y-axis 322 and x-axis 320. If the skew is significant, amatrix matching technique may not be useful. For Example, character“+”310 may be interpreted as an “X” rather than a “+”. Featureextraction may also be used, as box 308 may be recognized, but may belimited in the determination of character “+”310. In order to determinethe identification of characters in negotiable instrument 300, the skewof the digital image may need to be determined and compensated for priorto character extraction and recognition, as described below.

While skew or rotation may be one way in which distortion of the digitalimage may occur, if a user that takes a picture of the negotiable imagedoes not position the digital camera in an optimal position, the digitalimage of the negotiable instrument may be distorted. For example, thedigital image may be distorted to a degree so that the shape of thenegotiable image is not rectangular, but rather, trapezoidal, as shownin FIG. 3 c. The image may be distorted in other manners, and thus, thepresent subject matter is not limited to a trapezoidal distortion. Itshould be appreciated that an image may be distorted in ways other thanthe non-limiting and exemplary trapezoidal distortion. The presentdisclosure is not limited to any one type of distortion.

FIG. 3 c is an exemplary and non-limiting diagram illustrating adistorted image captured by taking a digital picture of check 300. Check300 has sides 340 a-d and corners 350 a-d. A significant portion ofnegotiable instruments used in commerce are rectangular in shape, i.e.the sides of check 300, in the physical embodiment, form a rectanglewhere two parallel sides are essentially of one length and where theother two parallel sides are essentially of the same or another length.Further, the internal angles of check 300, illustrated by angles 360 and362, are 90 degrees in the physical embodiment.

As shown, the digital image captured by taking a picture of check 300does not follow the basic qualities of a rectangle. Rather, the digitalimage of FIG. 3 c illustrates a trapezoidal shape caused by, among otherthings, a camera viewing angle of a suboptimal position, creating adistorted image. The suboptimal position may occur if the digital camerais not positioned directly above check 300. Sides 342 a and 342 b, whileparallel to each other, are shown to not be equal in length. Sides 342 cand 342 d, while also parallel to each other, are shown to not be equalin length. Further, because the image is not a rectangularrepresentation of check 300, angles 362 and 360 are not 90 degrees.Thus, if an OCR or ICR feature extraction process were to be performedon the image of FIG. 3 c, the information may be erroneous. Further, theimage may be distorted to a point that the image may not be acceptablefor use within the Federal Check Clearinghouse system, or other checkclearings systems that may be implemented.

To remove the distortion, the image may be modified. An exemplary andnon-limiting process of removing distortion may be to use a techniquecalled spatial transformation, also known as image warping. In spatialtransformation, a pixel in the image of FIG. 3 c is mapped or placedinto a position in a new image, such as image of FIG. 3 d. The processrepeats until all or an acceptable number of pixels in the originalimage are mapped to form an output image, resulting in a warped imaged.The position of the pixel and the relative position of other pixels ofan input image to an output image, such as the image of FIG. 3 d, may bedetermined by using geometrically known information. For example, anegotiable instrument, such as check 300, will have 4 corners and sidesthat are positioned and sized to form a rectangle. Further, the internalangles of check 300 will most likely be essentially 90 degrees. Althoughthe present subject matter uses warping to remove the distortion from animage, it should be appreciated that other methods of distortion removalmay be used, and thus, the present subject matter is not limited to anyparticular type of image distortion removal.

One exemplary and non-limiting way in which image warping may beaccomplished may be to use information about the four corners of check300 to determine new positions of pixels. Although the present subjectmatter uses the four corners of the image to warp an image, it should beappreciated that other methods of warping an image may be used, andthus, the present subject matter is not limited to using the fourcorners of an image. Although the four corners of an image, such as theimage in FIG. 3 c, may be determined upon initial analysis of the image,if the image has colors or features in the body, or the portion of theimage within the four corners, of the image, the analysis may bedifficult and/or unreliable. Thus, it may be preferable, for the purposeof analyzing the image, to first remove any colors or features withinthe body of the image.

One exemplary and non-limiting way in which to remove the features inthe body of the image is to use the image histogram values to reducecertain image values to essentially null. Although the present subjectmatter uses the image histogram to remove features in the body of theimage, it should be appreciated that other methods may be used, andthus, the present subject matter is not limited to using the imagehistogram. An image histogram is a graphical representation of thenumber of pixels across the particular shades of the image. Certainvalues of the histogram may be essentially zeroed, or floored, so thatthe image contents may be removed. For example, the values in thehistogram resembling black may be floored. Once the features in the bodyare essentially removed, a convolution filter may be applied to “blank”any features in the body of the check. The remaining features may needto be removed because they may affect the determination of the cornersof the image.

After the image has been prepared, the image may be analyzed todetermine the four corners of the image. FIG. 3 e is illustrative of anexemplary and non-limiting way in which the four corners of the image ofcheck 300 may be determined. For purposes of the following explanation,the determination of corner 388 is explained, though it should beappreciated that the other corners may be determined using the same or asimilar process. In FIG. 3 e is shown an image of check 300. The imageis distorted in a manner similar to the image in FIG. 3 c, e.g. theimage does not appear to be rectangular in shape. To warp the image, thelocation of corner 388 is determined.

In one exemplary and non-limiting way in which the location of corner388 may be determined, the edges of the image of FIG. 3 e are analyzed.As shown, the image of check 300 is placed in a geometric frame ofreference, represented by axis X and axis Y. A process may start at ornear the expected middle of the image and near the origin and determinethe left boundary, or side, of the image by analyzing lines of theimage, represented by analysis lines 380. The process may continue untilgoing up axis Y until a left boundary is not found, represented byanalysis line 386. Because the left boundary was not located whenanalyzing along line 386, the last analysis line to locate the leftboundary is the top of the image, shown by location X1, Y1.

The right side of the image is then analyzed in a similar fashion. Toreduce the analysis time, the process may begin at a Y coordinate closeto or slightly less than Y1, represented by location X2, Y2. Theanalysis continues until the top of the image is determined fromanalysis line 384, represented by location X3, Y1. Although the Ycoordinates of the left and right side are shown to be the same, Y1, itshould be understood that the top left of the image may be differentthan the top right of the image. For example, the image may be rotated.The result is that corner 388 is determined to be location X3, Y1.

Once the corners are determined, to warp the image into an output image,such as the image of FIG. 3 d, the location of the pixels in the imageof FIG. 3 e to FIG. 3 c needs to be determined. Thus, a qualitativeanalysis of the distortion of the image of FIG. 3 e needs to bedetermined. One exemplary and non-limiting way in which to determineimage distortion is to use the information from the cornerdetermination. For example, the slope of a line between X3 and X2 may beused to determine the amount of distortion. If the image was notdistorted, such as the image in FIG. 3 d, a slope of a line between X3and X2 would be infinite, resulting in no distortion along the X axis.Using information from the other corners, or another corner as desired,the distortion of the image of FIG. 3 e may be determined. Once thedistortion is determined, i.e. the amount of change of the image on boththe X and Y axis, the pixels may be mapped to an output image based uponthat distortion.

FIG. 4 a illustrates an exemplary and non-limiting system for using adigital camera to capture a digital image of a negotiable instrument. Anaccount owner (not shown) has financial account 460 established at bank430. Bank 430 is configured to process a deposit transaction using adigital image of a negotiable instrument rather than the negotiableinstrument itself. The account owner establishes communication pathway420, which may be through an Internet connection, with bank 430 inanticipation of depositing check 414. The account owner uses digitalcamera 402 to capture an image of check 414. The digital image iscompressed and stored as various file formats, including jpg. Theaccount owner then downloads the digital image to computer 410 andsubmits via communication pathway 420 the digital image to the bank 430for processing.

In one exemplary and non-limiting example, check 414 may be a method ofpayment to a business. In that example, the account owner may be thebusiness owner. In another exemplary and non-limiting embodiment,computer 410 may be associated with a customer of a business thatcontrols account 460. In that example, the customer may transmit animage of check 414 to bank 430 for payment of a debt.

Digital camera 402 may be a standalone digital camera or may beintegrated with other electronic equipment, such as a personal dataassistant, a web camera, or a cellular phone. FIG. 4 b is an exemplaryillustration of a system using the digital camera of a cellular phone tocapture digital images. As in FIG. 4 a, account owner (not shown) hasaccount 460 with bank 430. Account owner uses computer 410 to establishcommunication pathway 420 with bank 430 in anticipation of depositingcheck 414 into account 460. Account owner uses the digital camera ofcellular phone 405 to capture a digital image of check 414. The digitalimage is stored in cellular phone 405 after capture.

The account owner then causes the cellular phone 405 to transmit thedigital image to computer 410 via a cellular network, illustrated inpart by cellular transceiver 448 and network 450. The connection ofnetwork 450 with computer 410 may vary, the present disclosure not beinglimited to any one particular type of connection. For exemplary purposesonly, the connection may be via an Internet connection between acellular network and computer 410. Once the digital image is received atcomputer 410, the account owner may then transmit the digital image tobank 430 for processing a deposit transaction using the digital image.

FIG. 5 is illustrative of depositing funds of a negotiable instrument,such as a check, using a digital image. The account owner first receives500 a check and then endorses 502 the check in anticipation ofdepositing the check into an account. If the check is to be depositedusing electronic means, the account owner then takes 504 a digitalpicture of the check. The account owner may use various types of digitalcameras to take the digital picture, as described above. The presentsubject matter is not limited to any particular type or combination ofdigital camera or any particular embodiment of a digital camera withinan apparatus or system.

After the digital image is taken, the image is transmitted 506 to theuser computer. The transmission may occur using various communicationmeans, including, but not limited to, a direct connection to thecomputer, radio, infrared, Bluetooth®, local area network, wirelessnetwork, 802.x, or a cellular connection using a cellular network. Thedigital image file is created 508 using the digital image. Althoughshown after transmitting 506 the digital image, the digital image filemay be created 508 prior to transmission if the digital camera isconfigured to have the capability of compressing and storing the rawdigital image in a digital image file format. The digital image file isthen transmitted 510 to the bank for processing a deposit transaction.The transmission of the digital image file may occur using varioustransmission means, including, but not limited to, an Internetconnection between the bank and the account owner's computer. Thepresent subject matter is not limited to any one or combination oftransmission means.

FIG. 6 is illustrative of the receipt and processing of the digitalimage. The bank will receive 600 a request to deposit a check. Therequest may be received using various communication means, the presentsubject matter not being limited to any one or combination oftransmission means. The bank then receives 602 the digital image of thecheck. The digital image may be sent in conjunction with or as aseparate transmission from the deposit request. The bank then verifies604 the digital information.

Depending upon the standards imposed by the Check 21 Act and the bank'sown internal image standards, the verification of the digital image mayvary. For example, the Check 21 Act may require that the image be of acertain image quality. Although there are several ways in which imagequality may be determined, one manner in which it may be done is toperform an OCR operation on the check to determine if at least a portionof the information in the image is determinable. The bank may firstattempt to extract and recognize characters within the digital image.Any extracted characters may then be compared to previously knowninformation or information submitted by the account owner in the depositrequest. For example, the bank may attempt to find and OCR the magneticink character recognition (MICR) line at the bottom of the digitalimage. If the MICR line is unreadable or the characters identified donot correspond to known and verifiable information, the bank may rejectthe image.

The bank may also attempt to correct the image if the initialverification process does not yield valid information. Although theremay be issues with the resolution and size of the image, a significantportion of images may be deemed less than acceptable because of the skewin the digital image. As discussed previously, skew is the difference inrotation off an axis between a feature in the digital image and the samefeature in the physical embodiment of the digital image. Thedetermination of skew of digital images captured using handheld digitalcameras typically are computed in 3-dimensions. For exemplary purposesonly, the following deskew process uses an x and y axis, though itshould be understood that the principles and methods for determiningskew in three (3) dimensions use the same principles and are consideredto be incorporated into the present subject matter.

To deskew an image, the angle of a reference line within the digitalimage is determined. More than one reference line may be used as well.The angle of the line or lines is determined using a coordinate systemas a reference. For example, one of the lines of box 308 of FIG. 3 b maybe used. The angle of the line is determined in reference to a set ofaxes, such as y-axis 322 and x-axis 320 of FIG. 3 b. The image is thendigitally rotated so that the angle is zero (0), and another attempt atOCR is performed on the image to determine if the rotated digital imageis acceptable for use.

When processing a check, there may be useful reference points in thecheck that facilitates the proper rotation of the image. For example, acheck typically has several horizontal lines near the bottom of thecheck, used by the check writer to sign the check and to note the use ofthe check. Additionally, checks are typically rectangular in shape. Adetermination may be made to use the two long edges of the digital imageand/or the lines within the check as reference points. If the image isrotated so that the long lines and/or the lines within the check arehorizontal, the check image may be properly deskewed. After deskewing,if necessary, the bank may then perform an OCR operation again todetermine if information may be extracted, recognized and verified. Ifthe information is verified, the bank may then process 606 the depositrequest.

FIG. 6 a is an exemplary and non-limiting flow diagram illustrating adeskew process. The image is received 608 by the bank to be used inconnection with a deposit transaction. The check image is analyzed 610and the amount of skew is determined 612. If the skew is determined 614to be greater than a threshold amount, the image is deskewed 616 andinformation is extracted 618 from the check. If the skew is determined614 to be less than a threshold amount, information is extracted 618from the check.

Because the deskewing process and OCR process may take significantcomputing resources, a user's computer, such as a home desktop, may nothave the processing facilities to handle the computations to verify thedigital information. FIG. 7 is illustrative of a system that mayfacilitate the verification of the digital image information withoutrequiring the user's computer to have the computing resources to handlesuch an operation. A user (not shown) uses the integrated digital camerain cellular phone 704 to capture a digital image of check 714.

The user causes cellular phone 704 to transmit the digital image to bank730 via cellular transceiver 706, cellular network application provider710, and communication pathway 740. Prior to depositing check 714 intoaccount 760, bank 730 may verify the digital image received, determiningif the information extracted from the digital image is valid. Bank 730may use application server 750 to perform the image validation and imagecorrection. By processing the digital image at server 750, the user maynot need access to the computing resources that may otherwise berequired to verify the digital image.

To possibly reduce the amount of skew and to increase image quality, auser may use an apparatus to help align the negotiable instrument withthe digital camera. FIG. 8 is illustrative of an apparatus that may beused to assist in capturing a digital image. Apparatus 804 may be a box(shown in 2 dimensions) that is sized in a manner that allows the userto place negotiable instrument 800 within the box. Apparatus 804 mayalso have support platform 808, upon which digital camera 810 may beplaced. Support platform 808 may be configured to orient digital camera810 in a manner to reduce any distortion or skewing of an eventualdigital image. To take a picture, apparatus 804 also comprises aperture806, through which negotiable instrument 800 may be visible to digitalcamera 810.

Because digital cameras today are becoming increasingly technologicallyadvanced, the digital camera may be loaded with software that providesvisual aids to the user to assist the user in aligning the camera withthe negotiable instrument. A significant number of digital cameras inuse today provide an electronic assistance aid to the camera user whenthe snapshot button on the digital camera, the button that causes thedigital camera to take a picture, is partially depressed. The electronicaid becomes visible through or at the camera's viewfinder. The digitalcamera may be configured to pre-analyze the preview picture and findfeatures of the image for focus purposes. Typically, the camera willanalyze the preview picture to attempt to find a person's face, theclosest object, or the largest object in the viewfinder.

The digital camera may be configured to analyze the image in theviewfinder to assist the user in aligning the camera. FIG. 8 aillustrates a viewfinder configured to provide an electronic alignmentaid. A user aligns a digital camera (not shown) so that negotiableinstrument 824 is visible within viewfinder 822. The user partiallydepresses the snapshot button to begin analysis of the image withinviewfinder 822. The digital camera may be configured to attempt to findMICR information 826 of negotiable instrument 824. If the digital camerais able to analyze the image and finds MICR information 826, the cameramay expose an alignment aid tool to help the user align the check withinthe camera. For example, alignment aid tool 828 becomes visible withinviewfinder 822 when MICR information 826 is found by the digital camera.The user may align the camera to place MICR information 826 within theboundaries of alignment aid tool 828. Thus, when a picture is takenafter alignment, any skew or distortion of the digital image ofnegotiable instrument 824 may be minimized.

With the increasing use of cellular phones today, and because of theincreasing integration of digital cameras with cellular phones, there isan increasing likelihood that the digital camera a person may haveaccess to may be the one integrated into their cellular phone. FIG. 9 isan exemplary and non-limiting system using a cellular phone to transmitand communicate digital image information.

In FIG. 9, a user (not shown) has account 960 with bank 930. Anotherperson, such as a business associate, may write check 914 to the user aspayment for a past debt or for other reasons. Because of variousreasons, the user holding account 960 or the user writing check 914 maynot find it efficient or feasible to mail check 914. Thus, the userwriting check 914 may take an image of check 914 using the digitalcamera of cellular phone 944. The user writing check 914 may thentransmit the image via cellular network 942 to cellular phone 904 of theuser holding account 960. The user holding account 960, after receivingthe image, may then transmit the digital image to bank 930 viacommunication pathway 906, which may include a combination of a cellularnetwork and/or an Internet connection. After receiving the image, bank930 may process the image for deposit into account 960.

To help facilitate the transaction, the user holding account 960 maysend additional information to bank 930. For example, the user may senda text message. A text message for a cellular phone is alphanumeric datatransmitted over the cellular network instead of voice data. FIG. 10 isan exemplary and non-limiting screenshot of a cellular phone, such ascellular phone 904 of FIG. 9, showing information that may be sent alongwith the digital image. Screen 1000 shows text information that may needto be provided to a bank to process a deposit transaction. Text 1002 maybe an account number. Text 1004 may be an amount to be deposited. Text1006 may be a pass code, password, or a personal identification number,which may be used to provide a level of security. The text informationmay be sent in the same message as the digital image, in a prior messageor a subsequent message.

The methods and apparatus of the present subject matter may also beembodied in the form of program code that is transmitted over sometransmission medium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, throughfiber optics, or via any other form of transmission, wherein, when theprogram code is received and loaded into and executed by a machine, suchas an EPROM, a gate array, a programmable logic device (PLD), a clientcomputer, a video recorder or the like, the machine becomes an apparatusfor practicing the subject matter. When implemented on a general-purposeprocessor, the program code combines with the processor to provide aunique apparatus that operates to perform the functionality of thepresent subject matter.

While the present subject matter has been described in connection withthe preferred embodiments of the various figures, it is to be understoodthat other similar embodiments may be used or modifications andadditions may be made to the described embodiments for performing thesame function of the present subject matter without deviating therefrom. Furthermore, it should be emphasized that a variety of computerplatforms, including handheld device operating systems and otherapplication-specific hardware/software interface systems, are hereincontemplated, especially as the number of wireless networked devicescontinues to proliferate. Therefore, the present subject matter shouldnot be limited to any single embodiment, but rather construed in breadthand scope in accordance with the appended claims.

Finally, the disclosed embodiments described herein may be adapted foruse in other processor architectures, computer-based systems, or systemvirtualizations, and such embodiments are expressly anticipated by thedisclosures made herein and, thus, the present subject matter should notbe limited to specific embodiments described herein but insteadconstrued most broadly.

1. A method of depositing funds of a negotiable instrument, comprising:receiving a request to deposit the funds of the negotiable instrument;accessing a digital image of the negotiable instrument, wherein thedigital image was created using a digital camera; warping, using aprocessor, at least a part of the digital image to remove a distortionby: applying a filter to remove at least one feature within a body ofthe digital image, wherein the filter is a convolution filter;determining, after applying the filter, at least one aspect of thedigital image; and mapping pixels of the digital image into an outputimage based on the at least one determined aspect; and transmitting theoutput image in order to deposit the funds from the negotiableinstrument.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the negotiable instrumentis a check.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital image isincluded in a digital image file; and wherein the digital image filefurther comprises magnetic identification character recognitioninformation, an account number, or a routing number.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the digital image is included in a digital image file;and wherein the digital image file further comprises skew information.5. The method of claim 4, wherein mapping the pixels deskews the digitalimage based upon the skew information.
 6. The method of claim 1, whereinthe digital image is received at a financial institution, a cellularnetwork, or a computer used by a depositor of the negotiable instrument.7. A system for depositing funds of a negotiable instrument, comprising:a memory; and a processor in communication with the memory, theprocessor configured to: receive a request to deposit the funds of thenegotiable instrument; access a digital image of the negotiableinstrument, wherein the digital image was created using a digitalcamera; warp at least a part of the digital image to remove a distortionby: applying a filter to remove at least one feature within a body ofthe digital image, wherein the filter is a convolution filter;determining, after applying the filter, at least one aspect of thedigital image; and mapping pixels of the digital image into an outputimage based on the at least one determined aspect; and transmit theoutput image in order to deposit the funds from the negotiableinstrument.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the negotiable instrumentis a check.
 9. The system of claim 7, wherein the digital image isincluded in a digital image file; and wherein the digital image filefurther comprises magnetic identification character recognitioninformation, an account number, or a routing number.
 10. The system ofclaim 7, wherein the digital image is included in a digital image file;and wherein the digital image file further comprises skew information.11. The system of claim 10, further comprising at least one subsystemthat deskews the digital image based upon the skew information.
 12. Thesystem of claim 7, wherein the digital image is received at a financialinstitution, a cellular network, or a computer used by a depositor ofthe negotiable instrument.
 13. A non-transitory computer-readable mediumcomprising computer-readable instructions for depositing funds of anegotiable instrument, the computer-readable instructions comprisinginstructions to: receive a request to deposit the funds of thenegotiable instrument; access a digital image of the negotiableinstrument, wherein the digital image was created using a digitalcamera; warp at least a part of the digital image to remove a distortionby: applying a filter to remove at least one feature within a body ofthe digital image, wherein the filter is a convolution filter;determining at least one aspect of the digital image; and mapping pixelsof the digital image into an output image based on the at least onedetermined aspect; and transmit the output image in order to deposit thefunds from the negotiable instrument.
 14. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the negotiable instrumentis a check.
 15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13,wherein the digital image is included in a digital image file; andwherein the digital image file further comprises magnetic identificationcharacter recognition information, an account number, or a routingnumber.
 16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13,wherein the digital image is included in a digital image file; andwherein the digital image file further comprises skew information. 17.The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein theinstructions to map the pixels includes instructions to deskew thedigital image based upon the skew information.
 18. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the digital image isreceived at a financial institution, a cellular network, or a computerused by a depositor of the negotiable instrument.
 19. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one aspect comprises at least one cornerof the digital image.
 20. The method of claim 1, wherein the at leastone aspect comprises four corners of the digital image.
 21. The methodof claim 1, wherein mapping pixels of the digital image into the outputimage comprises mapping all of the pixels of the digital image into theoutput image.
 22. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one aspectcomprises at least one corner of the digital image.
 23. The system ofclaim 7, wherein the processor is configured to map pixels of thedigital image into the output image by mapping all of the pixels of thedigital image into the output image.